The Longstaff Wizards

Longstaff Wizards are numerous and can be found throughout Karnish and its empire. Archetypal wizards, the Longstaff Wizards seek a deeper knowledge of their art and invest heavily in researching new spells and magic items and understanding existing ones (and how to further manipulate their properties).

Longstaff Towers - stone towers built wherever the Longstaff Wizards are located - house not only powerful magic items and examples of nearly every spell ever scribed, but also vast libraries containing books on almost every conceivable subject and huge laboratories where experiments are carried out and the properties of magical and mundane items identified and analyzed.

To fund this astronomically expensive task, the Longstaff Wizards are also in the business of creating and selling magic items and many of the magic shops located throughout Karnish are run by them. In almost every town and city, there will be at least one Longstaff Magic Shop, even if they are in no other way established there.

These shops form the backbone of both the magic and alchemy trade in Karnish, supplying potions (both alchemical and magical) and minor magic items to those that can afford them. For the vast majority of the population, these shops are where they purchase alchemical remedies for common ailments as only the very wealthy can afford the powerful magic. Although common throughout Arrasia, in those places where magic is little understood and wielders of it eyed with suspicion, they are not welcome and are regarded with mistrust.

Longstaff Wizards often travel far and wide in order to pursue their research or to discover some new or powerful magic item and are always welcome by fellow Longstaff members. Should there be a Longstaff Tower, members can always stay in one of the many small rooms for free and can use any of the tools and equipment at their disposal. In places where there is no established center, but where a Longstaff Magic Shop is located, members will always go out of their way to accommodate a fellow Longstaff Wizard and will often sit up late into the night talking about their art.

Longstaff Wizards' Structure
The Longstaff Wizards have a well organized structure which has seen them grow into one of the most powerful organizations within Karnish. With their headquarters located in the City of Karnish, the Supreme Longstaff - the most powerful individual within the organization - can quickly turn his eye to any of the Longstaff outposts that can be found throughout the nation. Along with a small and elite board of members, made up entirely of Longstaff Wizards, he appoints the High Longstaffs who are themselves the most important individuals within their own area (usually a town or city).

A High Longstaff is expected to raise funds, run the local membership efficiently and look for new and able members, as well making sure that research into new spells and magic items continues, as well as the search for existing rare items or oddities. Within their own area of control - usually wherever a Longstaff Tower is located - they answer to no one except the Supreme Longstaff himself.

Every tower has a High Longstaff, except those waiting to have one appointed, most normally due to the death of the previous incumbent. In places where only one Longstaff Wizard is present, he is always the High Longstaff, as only Longstaff Wizards can hold the position of High Longstaff.

When the position of Supreme Longstaff becomes available, candidates (who must themselves be existing High Longstaffs) declare themselves and all Longstaff Wizards then cast a vote as to which candidate will become the new Supreme Longstaff. Both the position of Supreme and High Longstaff are for life. A Supreme Longstaff can, however, demote or even expel any other member.

Longstaff Apprentice Wizards
Although the senior positions within the organization are filled entirely with Longstaff Wizards, many of the junior positions are filled with apprentices. Many of these are young would-be wizards who are being trained in their art by the Longstaffs and who are nearly always placed as an apprentice to their tutor, who will help guide them through the early stages of their development.

Apprentices help do many of the menial tasks, including the cleaning of the alchemy labs and the fetching of equipment and ingredients needed by their tutor, where they slowly learn the rudiments of their art. Those who can cast arcane spells will also spend their time scribing scrolls, which will be sold through the Longstaff Magic Shops. Those even more capable will be trained in the art of item creation and brewing potions, which will be sold to help fund the endless research.

Although the majority of apprentices will not themselves go on to become Longstaff Wizards - a status to which only the greatest arcanists will be granted - the vast majority will nonetheless remain loyal to the organization all of their lives. The more capable will remain lifelong ex-apprentice Longstaff Wizards, researching spells, scribing scrolls and doing all the other things wizards normally do. Many will be farmed out to the magic shops as shopkeepers, where they will continue their art in the name of the Longstaff Wizards, while others will remain resident in the towers as alchemists, scribes and, for those lacking any aptitude, guards.

Although these apprentices and ex-apprentices may not go on to become Longstaff Wizards, they are well regarded members of the organization and treated with respect and fairness. They also benefit from the continued support of the organization and can call upon many of the services that they provide. Only Longstaff Wizards, however, can look forward to filling the higher positions within the organization.